Nearly 20 years ago a Food Science and Technology major in Canada brewed and sold homemade beer to his colleagues for house parties. This student then worked in a few micro-breweries and moved on to do a Masters in Brewing and Distilling in the beer capital of the world, Berlin.He returned to Kenya where he grew up when he noticed the beer market had begun to open up. He decided to start up The Big Five Breweries (http://www.thebigfivebreweries.com/). This could have meant a switch in role from brewer to manager but not for Aleem Ladakwho decided to stay true to what he does best, which is brew beer.

It’s called The Big Five Breweries because of the five signature drinks modeled on the five big animal celebrities in Kenya. The drinks include the Nyatipa, Kifabock, Simpils, Chuikolsch and Temstout. The Nyatipa (Buffalo) is a 100% malt deep, copper colored style ale, well rounded with a bitter medium bodied head of foam. According to Aleem, for a date this is an ideal drink because it’s light with a great hops taste. The Kifabock (Rhino) is a stronger brew with a Belgian style dubbel bock intense malt flavor. It also contains chocolaty and caramel overtones with a lightly hopped aroma. Aleem prescribes it for celebrations when business deals are closed. However, it is the only brew on the menu which comes with a warning not to be abused (it’s strong!). The Simplils (Lion) is a balanced malt Pilsner brew made according to German Purity Law standards. The Chuikolsh (Cheetah) is a medium bitter, clean tasting refreshing beer for hot summer days, or in Kenya’s case, everyday. Finally, the Temstout (Elephant) is a classic black full bodied beer with a creamy head. Like an elephant in the wild, this beer stands out above the pack due to its distinguished dark color and aroma of coffee, roasted malt and dark chocolate.

Unlike commercial brews, the big five are created with an artistic touch. The distinct, high quality flavors are produced with exceptional ingredients and many man hours. If you would like to experiment with all the beers but you are worried about spending too much money, Brew Bistro offers a sampler platter with all the brews.

According to Aleem, it’s not a just job but a passion for brewing and hospitality. He comes from a hospitality industry family and everyone lends their unique talents to the process. A major part of the machine is the classy Brew Bistro Bar and Lounge located on Ngong Road’s Peidmont Plaza. The design and seating screams of class from the plush leather seats in the VIP lounge to the tall seats on the Terrace. At the lounge, patrons have a choice of fine dining, a bar front fiesta or a calm evening breathing in fresh air on the terrace. Furthermore, the Bistro has theme nights for different days of the week including a rock night, jazz night and salsa night.

Aleem expressed gratitude to the Big Five Breweries fan club who not only appreciate the Bistro and the beers but also make it a part of their personality. Twitter is regularly buzzing with humorous exchanges between patrons and the Bistro (@BrewBistroKenya). In addition, it’s more than just selling food and beer. The Big Five Breweries also takes in university graduates and trains them in the field and even places them within the organization thus providing employment opportunities. The company is poised to expand with designs for retail products and collective events such as Oktoberfest including ALL the major brewers.

By Andrew Onyango